It just seems odd to suggest that every SINGLE example provided MUST be the same EXACT story and circumstances.

While the overall idea of 1 thing growing out of another is common, what I am reading here is that it is IMPOSSIBLE for the situation where 1 thing simply got called something else without nearly as much "growing" as other *similar but but exactly the same* situations. That stands out in my mind as "questionable".

[rolling up my sleeves]
Did Quantum Computer Services become AOL?
Did BackRub become Google?
Did Jerry's Guide to the World Wide Web become Yahoo?
Did Computing Tabulating Recording Corporation become IBM?
Did Brad's Drink become Pepsi-Cola?
Did SBC become AT&T?

Were ALL of the name changes significantly more than just "rebranding" - every single one? No different circumstances in the bunch? That doesn't seem reasonable to me. I am fairly certain for instance that some of the things that say SBC had been doing right went very very wrong after they became AT&T and bought themselves that coveted stock ticker? Evolution doesn't have to be 100% for the better. Sometimes (many times) more popular does not result in better quality in some core beliefs.